AGRICULTURE - COMPLETED |
Utilization
of Cassia Tora as Fodder & Feed: Ingredient for cultivable carps |
Artificial feeding is one of the important requirements for increasing fish
production in composite fish culture. Several ingredients, both of plant
and animal origin, are being used in preparing artificial feeds for carps.
For rich production to be profitable, cheap and nutritious. From this point
of view, Cassia tora looks promising as a suitable fodder or as a feed ingredient
for carps. Cassia tora is a legumninous weed, growing luxuriously in several
parts of India, during the period of May to October The leaves are at present
not being put to any major use. Even cattle do not forage on this plant.
Interestingly, fishermen in inland areas have observed certain carps feeding
on Cassi a tora growing within low lying areas. Thus, there appears to be
good scope for utilising the weed, as fodder, and also as a suitable feed
ingredient in the diet of carps. This weed could become a reliable cheap
supply of nutritious fodder for the phytophagus grass crap, Ctenopharyngodonidella
which is a fast growing exotic carp. The leaves of Cassia tora on analysis was found to contain 25 to 30% crude protein and 7-10% of fat, on dry weight basis. The percentage edible part of the plant varies from 30 to 40. Acceptability tests were conducted, where a set of grass carp yearling were provided with fresh Cassia tora in bundles. It was observed that grass carp consumed the weed readily and fully, leaving only the mid-rib part of the leaves. |
Close |